Here - The Teaching

Transcription

Here - The Teaching

EARSHOT JAZZ
A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community
WACO
Al Keith, Mark Taylor, Stuart MacDonald, Thomas Marriott, Phil Sparks,Steve Treseler, Jim Dejoie
Byron Vannoy, Greg Sinibaldi, Samantha Boshnack
Chris Stover, Robin Holcomb, Tom Varner, Nelson Bell
(not pictured) Brad Allison, Eric Barber, Wayne Horvitz
Photo by Daniel Sheehan
August 2009 Vol. 25, No. 8
Seattle, Washington
NOTES
New All Ages Venue at Georgetown
Seattle Drum School
On June 27th, the Georgetown location
of Seattle Drum School greatly expanded
its offerings by opening a brand new live
music venue, The SLAB. Like the L.A.B.
(Little Auditorium in the Back) at the
Lake City area location of the Seattle
Drum School in North Seattle, the SLAB
is an all ages performance venue. This
new venue on S. Bailey Street near the
I-5 ramp in Georgetown seats about 100
people and is focused on the live music
experience, offering superior acoustics.
The SLAB will host a wide range of shows
featuring all genres of music in a safe, positive environment where kids and adults
of all ages can feel welcomed and encouraged. Shows will generally take place on
Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm.
KBCS Announces Program Changes
Steve Ramsey, General Manager of
radio station KBCS, announced on July
21st that beginning in August the station will be changing its program lineup
significantly in response to both declining
membership and listenership. Following
what he describes as a “rigorous process
to better understand our audience and to
formulate a cohesive strategic plan,” the
station decided to revamp its programming, adding new programs and features
while also cancelling many longtime
shows.
Earshot Executive Director and longtime KBCS host John Gilbreath will
now host a program every weekday from
9 a.m. to noon. Gilbreath’s show, The
Caravan, will be a daily musical journey
touching on many genres, and focusing
on his extensive knowledge of jazz, world,
and Americana. Gilbreath’s program will
be followed by current veteran KBCS
hosts weekdays from 12 noon to 3 p.m.,
who will present programming spanning
the breadth of the American music tradition. The station will also continue with
2 • EARSHOT JAZZ • August 2009
and expand upon its daily public affairs
programming, including both locallyproduced shows and nationally syndicated
programs like Democracy Now!.
Ramsay noted that it was difficult to
make the decision to cut some of the veteran programs, saying “These have been
exceedingly difficult decisions to reach,
decisions which we do not take lightly,
and which were made only after extensive consideration of how we can best
serve our audience. We acknowledge and
pay tribute to these many talented and
dedicated programmers who have added
tremendously to the KBCS community
for many years...We look forward with
great optimism to KBCS’s future, and we
hope you’ll share it with us.”
Jazz at South Lake Union
Throughout August, the South Lake
Union Summer Concerts at 2200 Series
will continue to feature an eclectic mix
of live music performances by local jazz
musicians and Cornish College of the
Arts. These free concerts, which began
in July with concerts by the Cornish Jazz
SEE NOTES ON PAGE 22
Saturday, August 1
David Grisman Quintet
BENEFIT CONCERT
“Encompassing all elements of Americana, from bluegrass and jazz and including Latin, classical, and klezmer influences that have become part-and-parcel of
the American experience, the Grisman Quintet create idiosyncratically pleasing,
all-acoustic music that jumps through genres at will.” — BILLBOARD
Concert Benefits Parkview Services, providing affordable housing options for
people with disabilities in Snohomish and King Counties. Please see www.
parkviewservices.org
EDMONDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 8 PM
410 4th Ave N, Edmonds, WA 98020
General Admission Doors Open 7:30 pm $45 / ticket
VIP Reception 7:00 PM includes wine, appetizers, meet the band $125/ticket
Tickets can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com by typing
David Grisman into the browser; or call Jane Bloom at 425 299 6020
EARSHOT JAZZ
IN ONE EAR
Executive Director John Gilbreath
Earshot Jazz Editor Danielle Bias
Assistant Editor Peter Walton
Contributing Writers Molly M. Conant,
Jessica Davis, Schraepfer Harvey, Elaine
M. Hayes, Peter Monaghan, Kimberly M.
Reason, Chris Robinson, Peter Walton
Calendar Editor Peter Walton
Calendar Volunteers Tim Swetonic
Photography Daniel Sheehan
Layout Design Rachel Wan
Mailing Lola Pedrini
Program Manager Karen Caropepe
Send Calendar Information to:
3429 Fremont Place #309
Seattle, WA 98103
fax / (206) 547-6286
email / [email protected]
Board of Directors Genesee Adkins
(president), Lola Pedrini (treasurer), Hideo
Makihara (secretary), Clarence Acox, Fred
Gilbert, Rush Green, George Heidorn, Paul
Toliver, Cuong Vu
Earshot Jazz is published monthly by
Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle and is
available online at www.earshot.org.
Subscription (with membership): $35
3429 Fremont Place #309
Seattle, WA 98103
phone / (206) 547-6763
fax / (206) 547-6286
Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984
Printed by Pacific Publishing Company
© 2009 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle
MISSION STATEMENT
Earshot Jazz is a non-profit arts and service
organization formed in 1986 to cultivate a support
system for jazz in the community and to increase
awareness of jazz. Earshot Jazz pursues its
mission through publishing a monthly newsletter,
presenting creative music, providing educational
programs, identifying and filling career needs for
jazz artists, increasing listenership, augmenting
and complementing existing services and
programs, and networking with the national and
international jazz community.
Lucid Live Records
David Pierre-Louis, owner of Lucid
Jazz Lounge in the University District,
has continued to push forward into new
realms of audience, artist, and venue connectivity. Lucid Live Records, his newest
initiative, is a not-for-profit record label
which records and releases live performances at Lucid by local artists. Steve
Feasley of Love Studios records, mixes,
and masters the performances – and he
deserves much praise for the upfront and
detailed live recordings that he secures.
As Pierre-Louis explains, the label values
original works by Seattle artists, promotes
artist ownership of his or her music, and
increases awareness of performing artists,
the club, and the Seattle jazz scene as a
whole. Lucid Live Records has already
recorded the all-star ensemble Reservoir
Cats’ tribute to Charles Mingus, with
several new sessions set for the next few
weeks. To hear past recordings, check
out lucidliverecords.bandcamp.com. For
event listings and venue information, visit
lucidseattle.com.
Garfield Alumn Anne Drummond Gains
National Exposure, Records Debut
Garfield graduate Anne Drummond
has earned a cover feature in the Summer 2009 edition of Flute Talk. The
piece, “Anne Drummond: The Next
Generation of Jazz,” is as appreciative
of Drummond as the title suggests. As
Drummond comments in it, “I like to
hear individuality in someone’s playing.
You have to be yourself with conviction,
because anyone can copy someone else.
I listen for meaning and personality and
try to help students develop tools that
will help them unleash their own expression.” We’re certainly agree and are glad
to see that an improviser as individual and
compelling as Drummond getting the at-
tention she deserves. And don’t miss her
debut recording, Like Water, to be released
on September 15 by Obliqsound.
Sonarchy Sound Art Radio Program,
August Lineup Announced
Sound wiz Doug Haire is the producer
and mixer of Sonarchy, recorded live in
the studios at Jack Straw Productions in
Seattle. This hour-long special broadcast
features new music and sound art made
by Pacific Northwest artists. Now in its
12th year on KEXP 90.3 FM, Sonarchy is
broadcast every Saturday evening at Midnight. During the month of August, you can
hear live performances by the following artists.
August 1st will feature Jason Kahn’s
immersive solo music for analog synthesizer, cymbal, snare drum, and feedback.
Hardcoretet, featuring Art Brown, Aaron
Otheim, Tim Carey, and Tarik Abouzied,
will perform on August 8th. On August
15th, Diminished Men present their psychedelic spaghetti-eastern music “under
the stark shadow tonalities of surf rock.”
August 22nd will feature Ian Stokes’
Sonarchy archive show from July 2004.
Stokes builds electronics that are guided
by unique randomized processes. The results are percussive, weird, and definitively
not human. On August 29th McTuff Trio
presents the Dave Lewis Revue. Featuring
D’Vonne Lewis, Joe Doria, and Any Coe,
the ensemble performs music from Seattle
jazz hall-of-famer Dave Lewis (D’Vonne’s
grandfather), a pioneer of the jazz organ trio.
Should you miss the show, you can
always catch it for up to two weeks on
KEXP’s website. This month’s shows will
also be available one week after they air
as podcasts at www.kexp.org/podcasting.
asp. To Submit your band or music for
consideration to be featured on Sonarchy,
contact Doug Haire at (206) 634-1019.
Enjoying the new look of the newsletter?
Earshot owes a great debt to our new summer intern, Rachel Wan. Rachel is a graphic design student at UW, and
we are very thankful that she has chosen to share her artistic skills with the organization.
August 2009 • EARSHOT JAZZ • 3
PROFILE
WACO: A Big Band for Modern Times
By Peter Monaghan
WACO
PHOTO BY DANIEL SHEENAN
To hear old timers tell it, sitting in the
audience at a performance by Woody
Herman’s 1940s and 1950s big bands
was like being heaved across a plain by
thundering horses – hence, the band’s
moniker, The Herd. The many-hooved
soundmachines meshed compositional
excitement with unmatched raw power.
Fourteen or more jazz players at full
throttle is an unmatched musical thrill,
to be sure. And that’s not where the joy
of big-bands ends. You may experience
breathtaking precision and unison of a
kind that the Basie band perfected, or the
exquisite voicing of Ellington’s men. At
the least, you’ll hear a lot happening, and
cop an uncommon musical clout.
It is our good fortune, as Seattleites,
then, that our city offers as much in the
way of big-band variety as any American
city (as Jessica Davis discusses, elsewhere
in this edition). A healthy jazz ecology,
with several high schools turning out
shoals of accomplished players, ensures
that those large ensembles, in their considerable numbers, maintain an impressive
level of musicianship.
The region’s ace high-school bands play
superbly in Basie and Ellington modes.
Jay Thomas’s Friendly Fire sparks what
its name implies. Jim Knapp’s big band
takes on the compositional complexity of
pieces such as its leader’s own. The Seattle
Repertory Jazz Orchestra can rightly boast
of an all-star local lineup that performs, as
its name suggests, the great music of the
art form’s yesteryears.
Several other spirited ensembles surely
make this city ranks second to none in
this powerful, driving form of jazz.
But what the scene has missed is a
large ensemble that plays a truly modern
repertoire.
Into this breach has stepped the Washington Composers Orchestra (WACO),
which three top musicians with extensive
New York experience formed last year.
It was then that plans came to fruition
between wife-and-husband team Robin
Holcomb and Wayne Horvitz, who had
been in Seattle for a decade, and French
horn master Tom Varner, a much more
recent arrival in the Northwest.
Horvitz recalls that, a few years ago, right
after Varner moved to Seattle, “we said,
‘Let’s get together for lunch,’ and that took
us a year, as it tends to do. Then we did
finally meet up and the subject came up
of reviving the big band we’d had in New
York. We said ‘Maybe we should do this,”
and we said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it right away.’
But of course it took us another year to
get around to it, maybe two.
“Big bands are really problematic. Either
you have to dedicate your life to them, full
time, which I’m certainly not going to do,
or a group of musicians has to be in it for
the pure pleasure of it.”
Horvitz says he, Holcomb, and Varner
already knew, from experience, that a bigband project of the kind they were contemplating was possible, and rewarding.
After all, they had taken part in one while
in Manhattan – the New York Composers
Orchestra.
That star-studded aggregation began
performing in 1986. Horvitz and Holcomb formed it as a regular performing
ensemble for composers who wished to
write for a jazz instrumentation without
being confined to traditional jazz and
big-band styles. Around New York and
also in 1988 at the well-regarded Moers
Music Festival in Germany, the NYCO
performed commissioned works by several
innovative, edgy composers, including
Anthony Braxton, Bobby Previte, Elliott
Sharp, and Butch Morris, and by Horvitz
and Holcomb.
When Holcomb and Horvitz moved to
Seattle in 1989, they kept the band going,
occasionally, with a mix of Northwest- and
New York-based players, until 1999.
With their move here, it became more
difficult for the original NYCO to perform its repertoire; but at the same time,
the repertoire did become more available
to a variety of other lineups. Those have
included a Holcomb/Horvitz-led NYCO
West consisting of Northwest musicians
joined by a few NYCO originals. The Jazz
Composers Alliance Orchestra, in Boston,
has also performed the scores with Horvitz and NYCO veteran Marty Ehrlich as
guest artists.
In 1995, five members of the original
NYCO joined eight British musicians,
including trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, for
a two-week British Arts Council tour of
England. In 1996 the NYCO performed
at the Verona Jazz Festival, in Italy.
Featured instrumentalists in the original
NYCO included trumpeters Steven Bernstein, Jack Walrath, James Zollar, and
Ron Miles; trombonists Ray Anderson,
Art Baron, Julian Priester, and George
Lewis; and clarinetist Ben Goldberg. The
New World label released two CDs of the
band’s work: New York Composers Orchestra (1990) and First Program in Standard
Time (1992). Several arts bodies provided
commissioning grants to NYCO composers, including the National Endowment
for the Arts, Meet the Composer/Reader’s
Digest Commissioning Program, and the
Brooklyn Academy of Music.
The band had, then, a certain renown.
Rolling Stone said of it: “The NYCO points
directions out of the musical prison that
surround too much current jazz. And,
like all truly great big bands, it swings its
tail off.”
Morphing NYCO into WACO
Now, the NYCO has morphed into a
WACO with just Holcomb, Horvitz, and
Varner remaining from the original New
York lineup.
The key interest of the band remains
what it plays. Pieces by the three New York
veterans predominate in WACO’s repertoire, although work by others is pressing
for inclusion in the band’s book, too.
As performances at, for example, the
Fremont venue, ToST, the band has
demonstrated not only a gameness and
great competence for forward-looking
work, but also considerable versatility in
interpreting the varied compositions of
its composers.
The polish of the band, mustered in only
a small number of practice sessions and
then set loose on the bandstand, is testimony to the reading skills of its members.
A talent for being able to play complex
pieces with only cursory rehearsal time
was one of the abilities the bandleaders
were looking for, when they thought about
whom to invite into the band, according
to Holcomb and Horvitz. “The lineup
came about pretty randomly,” says the latter. He and his co-leaders simply thought
about musical acquaintances who had the
chops and sense of musical adventure that
they sought. Some, Horvitz had never
met, but Varner had worked with them,
and thought highly of them.
Last fall, the Seattle version of the
orchestra took a sort of maiden flight
at the Earshot Jazz Festival. The band
performed as an East-West coalition of
Horvitz collaborators, with saxophonists Doug Wieselman and Seattle-reared
Briggan Krauss, trumpeter Ron Miles,
and drummer Bobby Previte joining various Seattleites who remain in the wholly
Seattle version of the band, including
trumpeters Brad Allison and Thomas
Marriott, trombonists Chris Stover and
Nelson Bell, and saxophonist Jim Dejoie.
Of that festival gig, Horvitz says: “That
helped bring it all together.”
At that performance, the band played
only Horvitz pieces, as its appearance was
part of a Horvitz retrospective. When it
plays, now, it also performs Varner’s muscular, melodic, and often tearaway pieces,
as well as Holcomb’s enthralling and
quite unjazzlike compositions. Holcomb’s
scores, Horvitz reports, are among those
that the band’s members seem to embrace
most enthusiastically, as do audiences.
“And those pieces relate least to the usual
approach of a jazz big band,” he remarks.
That pleases him, because he and Holcomb have always conceived of their big
bands as “pocket orchestras,” he says. “In
the late ’80s and ’90s, we’d have written
for strings if we thought we could find
people to come down and play the parts.
Robin in particular approaches this like
she would any orchestra. The drums are
not swinging time, the bass is not walking.
But the players maybe have a little more
say in what they play than they would in
a typical orchestra.” He characterizes the
structure of the band’s pieces as “improvising that is non-jazz improvising, up against
non-jazz writing, all for a jazz big band.”
Of the repertoire, Holcomb says: “Some
of my pieces call for some extendedtechnique soloing, while other composers
need people who can just blow.”
She wrote many of her compositions
for the New York predecessor of WACO.
But she has found that the Seattle lineup,
too, can play them ably. And enthusiastically. That response to the work has been
gratifying, she says. “They’re really good
readers, and that’s been great. They’re
people who are really into playing bigband music, and they’ve played in a lot of
local bands but are interested in playing
something new.”
For devotees of Seattle big-band jazz, the
delights of WACO include hearing some
treasured players perform in uncharacteristic settings. Among the pillars of the
new band are trumpeter Thomas Marriott
and saxophonist Mark Taylor, able leaders
in their own rights, as is drummer Byron
Vannoy. On bass is the ubiquitous “Mr.
Solid,” Phil Sparks. Among the reeds
is the outstanding Eric Barber, another
noted leader.
The membership takes in established
figures like those, but also some younger
players who have been making a name,
including trumpeter Samantha Boshnack and trombonist Nelson Bell, both
members of the Monktail Creative Music
Concern.
Surprise and Delight
Some of the players, you might be less
familiar with, and may hear with pleasant surprise. Among those is the highly
impressive Steve Treseler, a nuanced,
controlled, and compelling saxophonist
who grew up near Seattle, won highschool tenor saxophone titles at the
Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and other
meets, then attended the New England
Conservatory of Music in Boston, on a
scholarship. On graduating in 2003 he
could boast of being named “outstanding
soloist” in the college division by Down
Beat.
He then returned to Seattle to perform,
write, and teach. Last year, he released
his debut album, Resonance, to acclaim.
He leads the Steve Treseler Group, and
performs with the Jim Knapp Orchestra.
He has also published a textbook in use
by college jazz programs, The Living Jazz
Tradition: A Creative Guide to Improvisation and Harmony.
Trombonist Chris Stover, a graduate of
the Eastman School of Music and Central
Washington University who received a
doctorate in music arts from the University of Washington where he is pressing
on towards a doctorate in music theory, is
an adept of Cuban and Brazillian music.
Stover has been the first member of the
band other than the three co-leaders to
contribute pieces to its repertoire, but
that is likely to change. Further expansion
will come from Holcomb and Horvitz’s
back collections. They also are likely to
introduce pieces that the NYCO played,
including some by Marty Ehrlich and
Bill Frisell.
The success of the project, so far, artistically – no one is expecting to make money
– leads Holcomb, Horvitz, and Varner to
entertain thoughts about putting the project on a firmer footing. They contemplate
incorporating as a nonprofit organization,
as the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra
did some years ago. Says Horvitz: “I’m
planning in September to get together
with four or five members of the band,
the more entrepreneurial people, to have
a serious discussion about that.”
SEE WACO ON PAGE 23
PROFILE
BIG BAND
ROUND UP!
THE JIM KNAPP ORCHESTRA
By Jessica Davis
With a multitude of large ensembles,
spanning the genre’s history from swing
to modern, the Pacific Northwest offers a
musical feast for hungry big band audiences.
It is worth noting that a number of these
bands can be found at their home away
from home, Tula’s (www.tulas.com), in
addition to festivals and other local venues.
Below is just a sampling of what the Pacific
Northwest has to offer.
The Jim Knapp Orchestra – Led by Jim
Knapp
The 15-piece Jim Knapp Orchestra offers all
original compositions and arrangements, written largely by bandleader Jim Knapp, as well
as Courtney Cutchins. An award-winning
band, the Jim Knapp Orchestra has received
Earshot awards for “Best Acoustic Jazz Group”
and “Recording of the Year.” Jim Knapp was
also recently inducted into the Earshot Hall
of Fame a couple of years ago.
Many of the musicians have been with the
band for 10 years or more. “There is a strong
cooperative feeling in the band with a lot of
band input in the rehearsal process,” said
Knapp. “I value this tremendously.”
The band has collaborated with such artists
as Lee Konitz, Jay Clayton, Julian Priester,
Ingrid Jensen, John Wikan, Jovino Santos
Neto, Whitney James, Johanna Kunin, Robin Holcomb, Kirk Nurock, Carla Bley, and
Steve Swallow. The Jim Knapp Orchestra
has also recorded a number of CD’s including “On Going Home,” “Things For Now,”
“Secular Breathing” and “Things For Now.”
The band performs live on first Mondays at
the Seattle Drum School (12510 15th Ave. NE).
In addition, the band is performing at Cornish
College as part of the Earshot festival on Oct. 31.
www.jimknapporchestra.com
COLLATERAL DAMAGE & THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Collateral Damage & The Usual Suspects
– Led by Jay Thomas
Bandleader/trumpeter Jay Thomas takes a
fun and light-hearted approach to his bands,
Collateral Damage and The Usual Suspects.
Collateral Damage (also known as “Friendly
Fire” and “The Jay Thomas Big Band”) is
an all-ages community band with a mix of
Garfield and Roosevelt high schoolers on up
to octogenarians. Collateral Damage plays a
wide variety of charts, including favorites by
Count Basie and Duke Ellington. “Things
that are really fun to play and sound good,”
noted Thomas. “It’s quite fun. We have a
blast.” Collateral Damage plays at Tula’s at
4 p.m. on the third Sunday of the month,
with the occasional high school ensemble
opening up the performance as guests. Becca
Duran also occasionally sings with the band.
The highly-skilled musicians in The Usual
Suspects, are mainly in their 30’s-50’s and
perform a great many charts by composers
Shuhei Mizuno, of Japan, and local trumpeter Vern Sielert. “We do some really challenging arrangements,” said Thomas, about
the strictly instrumental big band.
Usual Suspects plays at Tula’s at 8 p.m. on
first Tuesdays.
“I think if people came out and check it out
they’d have a real good time,” added Thomas.
www.jaythomasjazz.com
Rich Wetzel’s Groovin Higher Jazz
Orchestra – Led by Rich Wetzel
As a kid growing up near Disneyland in
Garden Grove, California during the 70’s,
bandleader/ trumpeter Rich Wetzel had the
opportunity to hear such greats as Maynard
Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Count Basie, and
Woody Herman. “I feel like I was one of
the last few generations that got to see a lot
of those guys,” Wetzel noted.
His 15-piece big band, Rich Wetzel’s Groovin’ Higher Jazz Orchestra, consists of musicians from Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and
Bremerton. They play a lot of high intensity
jazz-rock and R&B from the 60’s and 70’s
through the present, as well as a heavy dose
of Maynard Ferguson jazz tunes. “Frankly, it’s
just my favorite music,” said Wetzel. “This is
the music I’ve always loved the most.”
The band has backed such artists as Wayne
Newton, the Four Tops, the Temptations,
and the OJ’s. In addition, the Rich Wetzel’s
Groovin’ Higher Jazz Orchestra has featured
such guest artists as Arturo Sandoval, Bobby
Shew, Wayne Bergeron and Walt Johnson.
The band has also recorded three CDs,
including “Live at Jazzbones,” “Live with
Wayne Bergeron,” and “The Mayn Thing.”
The Tacoma-based band can be found performing all over the Northwest, at such venues as Jazz Bones, the Triple Door, Tula’s and
numerous outdoor festivals. The band will
RICH WETZEL’S GROOVIN HIGHER JAZZ ORCHESTRA
perform on Aug. 15 at the Seattle Hempfest
and on Sept. 21 at the Puyallup Fair.
www.richwetzel.com, www.myspace.com/groovinhigher
Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra
(SWOJO) – Led by Dr. Daniel Barry
To give female musicians more opportunities to play jazz and big band music, Barbara
Hubers-Drake and Ellen Finn co-founded
the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra in January 2000. Musical Director Dr. Daniel Barry
chooses the repertoire, which features the
SEATTLE WOMEN’S JAZZ ORCHESTRA (SWOJO)
works of female composers, Northwest composers, and plenty of Latin influenced music.
“The music we perform is more contemporary than most other big bands, with
more Latin influences/ rhythms,” noted
band member Carolyn Caster, who has
been with the band since its inception.
The 16-piece big band has featured such
guest artists as Hazel Leach, Jill Townsend,
Nelda Swiggett, Greta Matassa, Susan Pascal,
Mimi Fox, and Don Lanphere. SWOJO
received an Earshot nomination for Best
Acoustic Group and has recorded two CDs,
produced by OA2 Records, titled, “Dreamcatcher” and “Meeting of the Waters.”
SWOJO performs at festivals, concert
series, summer series, parks, as well as
venues such as the Triple Door, Jazz Alley,
Tula’s, Crossroads and Third Place Books.
SWOJO has even performed as far away
as Lima, Peru. Coming this year, on Aug.
4, the band will play at 6:30 PM at Gig
Harbor’s Summer Sounds Series at Skansie
Park (3207 Harborview Drive) and on Oct.
2 at 7:30 PM the band will perform at the
Crossroads Market Stage (15600 NE 8th
in Bellevue).
www.swojo.org
PHOTO BY JIM LEVITT
SEE BIG BANDS ON PAGE 22
206-937-1262 gretamatassa.com
GRETA
MATASSA
PREVIEW
>>
“A marvel of virtuosity” —Los Angeles Times
Award-winning vocalist, recording
artist and teacher offering private
instruction, workshops and clinics.
Greta has
coached many
winners of the
Lionel Hampton
Jazz Festival
and Kobe
Sister City jazz
competitions
and helped start
the careers of
several of the
area’s current
jazz headliners.
It’s All About The Hang
By Peter Walton
THE HANG
For teaching info, performances and cds:
206-937-1262 GRETAMATASSA.COM
“It’s a way of living your life – living with
teamwork, cooperation, and integration.
And we’re so excited about it now because
this has been new for all of us.” Jeremy
Earshot Jazz Magazine, 1-unit vertical Jones
ad continues: “It’s been a gift that tells
me
the universe is friendly.” Quickly it
height, 3 in.
becomes clear, this isn’t an ordinary jam
width, 2-3/8 in.
session.
As much a community gathering as
an
Client: Greta Matassa, 206-937-1262 opportunity to workshop ideas, the
Hang has grown into an almost unstoppable force – a weekly event as warm,
Designer: Susan Pascal, 206-932-5336
joyful, and true to Seattle as it’s founding
members. By tapping into the creative
energy of their community, Keyboardist
Revised 4-10-08
Josh Rawlings, bassist Evan Flory-Barnes,
and percussionist Jeremy Jones, otherwise
known as the ensemble the Teaching, have
given the Hang a power of its own, one
which its participants believe can touch
and heal any person willing to give him
or herself over to it.
Josh, Jeremy, and Evan first convened
at the Seamonster Lounge in August of
2006. With no preconceived notions of
what their trio ought to sound like, the
Teaching grew purely out of the unique
chemistry of its three members. The band
recalls one particularly magical early moment in which, building off a calypso,
Jeremy Jones climaxed into a boisterous
swing feel, completely shifting the direction of the performance. Unsure of how
this maneuver might be received, Jones
was pleased to watch the band explode
with enthusiasm and add further fire.
And so the ensemble began to grasp
the potential of what they could create
together while working together as one.
With only the loose guide of composed
forms as launching pads, the music can,
and does, take off in any number of
directions. Exploring beyond the limits
of hip-hop, jazz, R&B, rock, and AfroCuban forms, the music at the Hang is
bound together by its ability to accept
whatever an individual musician might
contribute, and turn it to gold for the
ensemble. “Some people might prefer the
structure,” Josh Rawlings explains, “but
this is freedom. And it is just so exciting
to play music that has no limits.” Far
from an emotionless crossing of genres,
however, the band plays with an invigoAugust 2009 • EARSHOT JAZZ • 9
rating immediacy, the kind of energy that
breathes life into the cynic in you. “We’re
talking about bombs that make people
scream and shout and music that makes
people cry,” Rawlings continues, “And
we’re making it in the moment with the
community.”
But what was the impetus to essentially
open up the Teaching to the community
in the Hang forum? As Evan Flory-Barnes
relays a lesson from another generation:
“Bird told us, it’s all about the hang.”
More than ever, the band argues, Seattle
needs a place where not just musicians,
but audiences, fans, and any person
off the street, can come to listen, learn,
network, and play. “What was unfolding
early on,” Flory-Barnes comments, “was
a very natural and organic style of creating music of a particular moment, and
basically a welcoming of all people with
a creative or expressive voice to contribute
their authenticity as a person.” Clearly
they weren’t alone in their perspective, as
the Hang grew in both the size and scope
of its mission, spreading this collaborative
energy to all who might listen.
After about two years of weekly gatherings at the Lo-Fi Performance Gallery,
however, the Hang moved this past June
to the Lucid Jazz Lounge in the University
District. In addition to simply wanting to
try something new, the band was attracted
to Lucid for owner David Pierre-Louis’
work in serving and supporting local
jazz artists and audiences. Refreshed by
a venue owner who was so ready to fight
for the artists, the band found in Lucid a
partner willing to invest in The Hang as
completely as they had.
Now about six-weeks into the move to
Lucid, the Hang has thrived in its new
environment. The Teaching’s joyful spirit,
communicative ability, and infectious
energy continue to draw increasingly large
and diverse crowds to the U-Districts
intimate club. The attitude of “hang first,
create later,” has instilled in the club a
spirit of true community, while the sheer
breadth of the music being performed
has opened up the event to audiences and
performers who might not otherwise feel
comfortable at a jazz jam.
Indeed, this impassioned spirit of openness, both artistically and personally,
directly influences the musical energy
that flows through the performance. As
Rawlings notes, “When you embody
this warmth, kindness, and beauty that
you find in the community, the musical
possibilities are limitless.”
Here, the Teaching view themselves as
ambassadors for what Evan Flory-Barnes
has called the New Seattle movement. “It’s
about inclusion, integration, celebration,”
states Flory-Barnes, “it’s about giving
people permission to look within themselves and know who they truly are, and
Presented in collaboration with Earshot Jazz
Leif Totusek & One, Two, Three
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 5:30 PM
SeATTLe ART MUSeUM DOWNTOWN
1st Ave. & Union St. • seattleartmuseum.org • All ages
Drink specials at TASTe Bar including the $5 Hammering Man
Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Art of Jazz
Sponsors:
about expressing their highest joy with
others.” Musically, Josh Rawlings adds,
“the key is collaboration. To get hip hop
artists working at the Hang, who might
later work with a jazz vocalist – new things
are born out of that. And people here are
becoming more and more aware of how
this process is taking place.”
To Flory-Barnes, “Seattle doesn’t have
to look outside itself for approval. It’s its
own space. I’ve often seen people comment about a composer here saying it’s
good for Seattle – but no! It’s good for
the world. There has to be a confidence
and an attitude… a swagger that we can
bring forth and encourage others to have.”
Certainly, though, the Teaching’s plans
include bringing this spirit to others. The
band has already found enormously receptive audiences in such locations as Savannah, Georgia and Portland. The Teaching
believes with complete confidence in the
music’s ability to break down cultural
barriers and bring joy to individual lives.
And with pride, the band can now put
forth their energy and say, “this is Seattle.”
The Teaching performs in the Hang
Thursday, August 13, 20, and 27 at 9:30
PM at the Lucid Jazz Lounge, 5241
University Way NE, free of charge. The
Teaching will also perform on the Triple
Door Mainstage on August 24 at 7:30 PM.
www.theteachingmusic.com
PREVIEW
>>
Jacob Zimmerman Returns Home
By Peter Walton
JACOB ZIMMERMAN
While in the 6th grade, saxophonist
Jacob Zimmerman undertook a project
on his instrument, writing to a number
of local Seattle reedmen. Of the few responses he received, Wally Shoup’s stood
among the most thoughtful. Years later in
high school, Zimmerman noticed Shoup
was performing, and with no musical expectations, he decided to check him out.
Simply, the performance blew his mind!
Shoup’s modesty and kindness welcomed
Zimmerman to the music, something he’s
come to appreciate in fellow performers,
but Shoup’s playing that night opened up
unforeseen musical possibilities for the
young saxophonist.
It may be unwise, though, to put too
much weight on any one formative
experience for Zimmerman – son in a
musical and jazz literate family, alumnus
of Garfield high, and longtime appreciator of Charlie Parker, whose music first
reminded the young student of another
fond childhood association – Disneyland.
Zimmerman’s musical studies have taken
him from the Eastside, to Garfield, to
NEC in Boston, to Mills College for his
Masters, and now back to Seattle, to the
Chapel Performance Space for an evening
of unaccompanied saxophone improvisations.
The context of his performance itself
speaks to the journey he’s taken. Solo
improvisation, Zimmerman admits, is
among the most daunting of creative
outlets. Citing Derek Bailey, Zimmerman
goes as far to agree that on certain levels,
solo improvisation simply doesn’t make a
lot of sense. Not quite a natural outgrowth
of Zimmerman’s group work, unaccompanied performance began, as Zimmerman
notes, “as a way of examining my own
musical vocabulary very closely, and really thinking about what works and what
doesn’t work. It’s a process of cataloging,
organizing, and refining the techniques
and strategies that will be useful in the
context of group improvisation.”
A philosophy which seems to echo,
in particular, the solo work of Anthony
Braxton, an admitted source of inspiration to Zimmerman. A student of the
history of solo saxophone performance,
Zimmerman has made in-depth studies of Coleman Hawkins’ Picasso and
Braxton’s For Alto. And if the grouping of
pitch logics and new structure dynamics
sounds overly academic (as if that were
something to fear), don’t expect an apology. Currently earning his Masters at Mills
College, partially under the tutelage of
the great Roscoe Mitchell, Zimmerman
plans to someday teach at the university
level. Further, as he notes, “I’ve always
appreciated the resources, and exposure
to new things that a college environment
can offer.”
Certainly, Zimmerman has the undying
student in him. Rooted as firmly in the
sounds of Johnny Hodges and Frankie
Trumbauer as the innovations of the
AACM, Zimmerman’s focus as an improviser has largely been in “re-contextualizing the expressive techniques” of the
early saxophone greats. Hardly unique,
however, Zimmerman appreciates this
very approach in artists ranging from
Bill Frisell to Rakim. To Zimmerman, “it
creates a very complex relationship with
the past, a sort of revision that I really
like. It’s a very deep concept that I try to
keep in the back of my mind at all times.”
Perhaps all the more remarkable, then,
are Zimmerman’s solo improvisations.
Thoughtful as Zimmerman’s perspective
is, what sticks with the listener most is
simply the expressive power of his playing. His ideas come across with terrific
clarity, a sort of transparency that must
come only with a tireless dedication to
his craft. Zimmerman utilizes a generous
technique and short, often memorable
themes to explore the possibilities of his
mind and instrument: “I try to work on
getting the most out of the minimum
amount of material or pre-determined
structure.”
Indeed, composition and improvisation
here work to represent the same avenue
of expression, while still complimenting
one another in unique ways: “I see them
as imaginary points on a continuum of
creativity. Sometimes to learn something
new about improvisation, composition
can help by slowing down the process
and really developing an awareness of
what’s going on.”
And in Zimmerman’s improvisation, in
particular, one hears both the movement
of ideas and strategies, as well as the rich
rewards of his work. Zimmerman is, as
he plays, contextualizing himself in a
boundless history of styles, approaches,
and ideas – a history of which he is well
aware. Though while the process of
discovery, so bound to the solo improvisation practice, may drive Zimmerman’s work, it’s equally his wit, timing,
execution, humor, and command of his
environment that so compels the listener.
“I’m always trying different things,”
Zimmerman confesses, “but I don’t
think I’ve found a way of doing it that
feels right yet.” This performance, in
the more-than-suitable Chapel Performance Space, marks an opportunity for
Seattle audiences to experience where
Zimmerman has been, as well as where
he is headed. It’s the return of a student
and it’s the introduction of what ought
to be a major presence on the Seattle
arts scene. For in Zimmerman we have
an artist, ambitious and thoughtful,
attacking some of the major questions
surrounding jazz performance, history,
and culture today.
Jacob Zimmerman will perform on
Friday, August 7 at 8 PM at the Chapel
Performance Space in the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.
http://www.jacobrexzimmerman.com/
The Bass Church
The Northwest double bass specialists
www.basschurch.com
Sales, Rentals,
Repairs, Restorations,
Lessons
Convenient North Seattle Location
>>
The Bass Church
PREVIEW
www.basschurch.com
Sounds
Outside
Saturday, August 15
Sales,
Rentals,
Cal Anderson
Park,
1pm
Lessons
(206)784-6626
(206)784-6626
~by appointment only~
9716 Phinney Ave. N.
Seattle, WA. 98103
cornish college of the arts
The Bass Church
www.basschurch.com
FIRST
THURSDAY
at tula’s
Sales, Rentals,
Lessons
cornish jazz faculty + alumni
hosted by beth winter
(206)784-6626
Seattle, WA. 98103
featuring
~by
appointment only~
The Randy
Halberstadt Trio
The Bass Church
Thursday, August 6 | 7:30 pm
www.basschurch.com
Sales, Rentals,
Lessons
Tula’s
(206)784-6626
2214 2nd Ave. | Seattle, WA 98121
Seattle, WA. 98103
The Bass Church
from 1pm to 8pm on each day of the
series. www.basschurch.com
The park is at 1635 11th Ave,
between Denny and Pine, at the back
of the east side of the Seattle Central
Community College campus.
Rentals,
For more details,Sales,
please visit
www.soundsoutside.com
Repairs,
Restorations,
or www.monktail.com
SKERIK
Seattle, WA. 98103
Lessons
Melbatones
/ 1pm
Convenient
North Seattle Location
David “Skip” Milford and his Melbatones
present Coltrane covers, Trad.
(206)784-6626
Arr,9716
andPhinney
Skip Ave.
originals:
Steven Fandrich
N.
Seattle,John
WA. Seman
98103 (upright bass), Mark
(piano),
Ostrowski
(drums), and a secret guest
saxophonist.
www.monktail.com
The Bass Church
www.basschurch.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF MONKTAIL CREATIVE MUSIC CONCERN
Nothing so heartens the soul, on a
Sales, Rentals,
summer afternoon in Seattle, as strollRepairs,
ing across the topRestorations,
of the old reservoir
Lessons
on Capitol Hill
(capped a few years
ago to keep
out modern-day well-poisoners) and coming upon the strains of
(206)784-6626
boundary-expanding
jazz, improvised
music,
and
sounds
and
sweet airs that
Seattle, WA. 98103
~by appointment
only~a name tag.
refreshingly
lack
For the fourth year, the enterprising
Monktail Creative Music Concern is
permitting us that pleasure with its
series, Sounds Outside: A Celebration
of Adventurous Music & Community.
The Northwest
double bass specialists
Last month’s
presentation
lived up to
the promise – presenting all the thrills
www.basschurch.com
and surprises Seattle has come to expect
from the event.
As in years past, they will be held at
Cal Anderson Park, with city-league
Sales, Rentals,
baseball providing
a backdrop as unexRestorations,
pected Repairs,
as many of
the sounds that the
Lessons
Outsiders dispense.
Convenient
Northof
Seattle
Location charge
All events
are free
admission
– all you need to do is wander up,
(206)784-6626
stretch
out on the lawn, in the sun or
under
the
trees, and enjoy. Music runs
Seattle, WA. 98103
The Bass Church
The Bass Church
Figeater / 2:30pm
Clarinetist/composer Beth Fleenor bases
The Northwest
double
her cargo-cult
band
on bass
thespecialists
arrival of unhinged,www.basschurch.com
uncorked, unkempt provocations
from a small, raucous band of collaborators. Expect some wailin’, some keening,
and some siren-singing, too.
www.thefrankagency.org/Figeater.htm
Sales, Rentals,
Repairs,
Restorations,
Greg Sinibaldi
/ 4pm
Lessons
The saxophonist and bass clarinetist,
steeped in
both classical and jazz studies,
balances improvisation with exquisitely
(206)784-6626
composed
melodic harmonies and tex9716 Phinney Ave. N.
tures.
Seattle, WA. 98103
www.gregsinibaldi.com
Syncopated Taint Horn Quartet / 5:30pm
The seasoned combo of Skerik, Craig
Flory, Dave Carter, Hans Teuber, foursevenths of the similarly named Septet,
will beThe
all Northwest
up in your
face.
Enjoy it.
double
bass specialists
The Bass Church
www.syncopatedtaint.com
www.basschurch.com
Bert Wilson / 7pm
A legend in these here parts, the saxophonist was on the frontier of psychedelic
Sales, NYC,
Rentals,
jazz in mid-1960s
pioneered the
use of multiphonics
on
the
saxophone,
and burns the flame
for
the
likes
of Albert
Lessons
Convenient
North
Seattle
Location
Ayler. A relatively rare performance; not
to be missed.
(206)784-6626
www.myspace.com/drwheelz
Seattle, WA. 98103
THE NORTHWEST JAZZ FESTIVALS GUIDE
summer / fall 09
The price of a gallon of gas has been nearly
cut in two since we last covered these festivals in
May 2008. Of course, that is small consolation if
you’ve lost your job in the last year, but let’s not
get too grim in a summer jazz festival preview!
The point is- with so many free and affordable
festivals so close to home, you don’t have to
sacrifice much time or money to be on your way
to hearing some beautiful music. Most within a
days drive from Seattle, venues this year range
from urban centers, beaches, valleys, wineries
Britt Festivals
June 7 – September 18
Britt Pavillion / Jacksonville, OR
Roster: Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Pink Martini,
Les Claypool, Jazz Camp 20th Anniversary Concert
www.brittfest.org
(800) 882-7488, (541) 779-0847
Sounds Outside
July 25, August 15
Cal Anderson Park / Seattle, WA
Roster: Non Grata, Sugar Skulls, TU, Moraine,
Melbatones, Figeater, Greg Sinibaldi, Bert Wilson,
Syncopated Taint Horn
www.soundsoutside.com
Mt. Hood Jazz Festival
August 14-16
Various venues / Gresham, OR
Roster: Stan Kenton Alumni Band w/ Carl Caunders and Scott Whitfield, Four Freshman, Tree
House All-Stars w/ Terrell Stafford, Art Abrams
Swing Machine w/ Bobby Shew
www.mthoodjazz.org
(503) 661-2700
A Case of the Blues & All That Jazz
August 15
Sarg Hubbard Park / Yakima, WA
Roster: Zac Harmon, Mark Dufresne & Lloyd
Jones, Jeremy Dion, Jim Brunner
www.yakimagreenway.org/blues
(509) 453-8280
Jazz & Oysters in Oysterville
August 16
Old Oysterville / WA Schoolhouse
Roster: Kate Davis w/ Ron Steen and Tom Grant,
May Palmer, OYSTERS!
www.watermusicfestival.com
(360) 665-4466
and breweries, to even under a bridge. The
variety of performers is astounding, and surely
there will be something below that captures
your interest. There are numerous visiting jazz
luminaries, including Sonny Rollins, Alexander
von Schlippenbach, Kurt Elling, and Jimmy
Cobb, as well as countless regional artists that
demonstrate the commitment, integrity, and
quality of the Pacific Northwest jazz scene. The
summer may be half-over, but a look at the
concert season ahead leaves room for plenty
2009 Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival
August 21-23
Esther Short Park / Vancouver, WA
Roster: WAR, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Judy Collins, Spyro Gyra, Allen Toussaint, Rita Coolidge,
Arturo Sandoval
www.vancouverwinejazz.com
(360) 906-0605
Arts in Nature Festival
August 22-23
Camp Long, 5200 35 Ave SW / Seattle, WA
Roster: Chris Ballew, Lelavision, Hollow Earth Radio, Yellow Hat Band, NW Choro Collective, 4est
Chorale, Musicians’ Emeritus Symphony Orchestra,
The Early Music Guild, The Beaver Deceivers,
Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble, Heimish Klezmer,
The Asterisk Project, The Cabiri, Dass Dance
http://www.naturec.org/festival.htm
(206) 923-0853
Bumbershoot Arts Festival
September 5-7
Seattle Center / Seattle, WA
Roster: Vieux Farka Touré, Mark Taylor Quartet,
Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder, De La Soul, Portland Cello Project, many more
www.bumbershoot.org
(206) 816-6444
Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival
September 11-13 / Penticton, BC
Roster: Cornet Chop Suey, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Tom Hook, Jazz 5, Gator Beat, High Sierra
Jazz Band, Big Band Jazz Band, Draga’s Dragons
www.pentasticjazz.com
(250) 770-3494
of optimism. Please note the new additions as
well! Details are accurate at the time of printing,
though we would recommend checking
event websites as the dates approach for artist
additions, breaking news, ticket availability,
schedule changes, and so on.
And please let us know ([email protected])
about any additional Northwest-area jazz festivals that we may have missed.
Pony Boy Jazz Picnic
September 13
Magnuson Park Amphitheatre / Seattle, WA
Roster: Artists from the Pony Boy stable, 2008
lineup included Emerald City Jazz Orchestra,
Greg Williamson, Victor Noriega, Vern Sielert
Dektet, Jay Thomas Sextet, Pete Petersen Porkpie,
other artists from the Pony Boy stable
www.ponyboyrecords.com
(206) 522-2210
Pender Harbour Jazz Festival
September 18-20 / Pender Harbour, BC
Roster: Jim Rotondi, Don Stewart, Laila Biali,
Dylan Crmaer, Pat Coleman, Rumba Calzada,
Outer Bridge, Company B Big Band, many more
www.phjazz.ca – [email protected]
Djangofest Northwest
September 23-27 / Whidbey Island Center
for the Arts / Whidbey Island, WA
Roster: Romane Trio “Father and Son,” Richard
Manetti, Zaiti Acoustic Quartet, Stephane Wrembel, Howard Alden and Bria Skonberg, more
www.djangofest.com/nw
(360) 221-8268 / (800) 638-7631
Glacier Jazz Stampede
October 1-4 / Red Lion Hotel / Kalispell, MT
Roster: 52nd Street Jazz Band, Jeff Barnhart, Big
Mama Sue’s Follies, Big Tiny Little, Mimi Blais,
Flathead Ragtime Society Orchestra, many more
www.glacierjazzstampede.com
(406) 755-6088
Jazz at Newport
October 2-4 / Newport, OR
Roster: Jeff Clayton, Jeff Hamilton Trio, Ira Nepus,
Tamir Hendelman, Chuck Redd, Nicki Parrott,
Tom Wakeling, Rebecca Kilgore, Ed Dunsavage,
Dave Captein, Alan Jones, many more
www.jazzatnewport.com
(888) 701-7123
Medford Jazz Jubilee
October 9-11 / Medford, OR
real. community. radio.
Roster: Blue Street, Club, Wally’s Warehouse Waifs, Gator Beat, Salsa Brava, Midiri Brothers, South Oregon Jazz
Orchestra, Blue Renditions, High Sierra, many more
www.medfordjazz.org
(541) 770-6972 / (800) 599-0039
real.
Vancouver Dixiefest
October 9-11 / Sheraton Vancouver Guildford
Hotel / Surrey, BC
community.
Roster: Big Band Jazz Band, Black Swan Classic
Jazz Band, Company B, Djangoesque, many more
www.vcn.bc.ca/vdjs/dixiefest.html
(604) 987-6544
Anacortes Jazz & Blues Festival
October 14-15
Curtis Wharf & clubs / Anacortes, WA
On KBCS hear the `B’ sides and genres found nowhere else on
the dial, programmed by volunteers driven by their passion for
the music. From jazz to reggae, folk to modern global, hip-hop
to blues to electronica, you’ll hear it on KBCS.
We air social justice-focused programs like Democracy Now!,
along with locally produced public affairs shows Voices of
Diversity and One World Report. KBCS covers issues, places,
and people who don’t always make it to the front page of the
mainstream media. It’s radio that’s handcrafted here at home, by
hundreds of volunteers tuned into what’s local and what’s relevant.
Listener-supported,
Non-commercial
Community Radio
www.kbcs.fm
radio.
Our purpose is to entertain, educate, and involve. KBCS is the
only station in the greater Seattle area offering ongoing training
opportunities. Become the media at KBCS.
Roster: TBA, 2008 lineup included Dr. Lonnie Smith
Trio, Pocket Change, Clarence Acox Legacy Quartet,
Tiptons
www.anacortes.org
(360) 293-7911
Swing ’n Dixie Jazz Jamboree
October 14-18 / Sun Valley, ID
Roster: Big Band Swing Design, Big Bang Jazz
Band, Blue Street Jazz Band, many more
www.sunvalleyjazz.com
(877) 478-5277
Earshot Jazz Festival
Mid-October – early-November
Various venues / Seattle, WA
Roster: Don Byron Quartet, Myra Melford, Matt
Wilson, Trio M, Cyro Baptista, Marco Benevento,
Kris Davis Trio, Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto,
Omar Sosa Quartet, Helen Sung Trio, Tarbaby,
Evan Flory-Barnes, more TBA
www.earshot.org
(206) 547-6763
Diggin’ Dixie at the Beach
November 6-8 / Ocean Shores, WA
Roster: Hume Street Preservation Jazz Band,
Electric Park Jazz Band, Uptown Lowdown Jazz
Band, No Inhibitions Jazz Band
users.techline.com/diggindixie
1-800-762-3224
Think Swing!
New Orleans Jazz Festival
TBA (November) / Spokane, WA
Roster: TBA, 2008 lineup included Andreas Öberg,
Casey MacGill’S Blue 4 Trio , Pete Petersen Septet
www.myspace.com/thinkswing
(509) 74-STAGE
FOR THE RECORD
Mark Taylor
Spectre
Origin 82529
Those familiar with my reviews of
Thomas Marriott’s recent work will know
that I find Mark Taylor to be a unique and
refreshing voice on both soprano and alto
saxophones. On Spectre, his first solo release in six years, Taylor shows why he’s an
oft called upon saxophonist in the Seattle
scene – performing and recording with
Julian Priester, trombone – Jazz Faculty, Music Department
www.cornish.edu/music
800.726.ARTS
commit to excellence
We’re seeking exceptional students.
Talented Musicians. Individuals
interested in carrying on a tradition
of innovation.
Cornish College of the Arts offers
a Bachelor of Music in Composition,
Instrumental or Vocal Performance.
cornish college of the arts
art dance design music performance production theater | humanities & sciences
Jim Knapp, Matt Jorgensen + 451, Chad
McCullough and many others. On Spectre
Taylor teams up with the L.A. based Gary
Fukushima on piano and Fender Rhodes,
bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer Byron
Vannoy, the results of which demonstrate
just why this solo record is so long overdue.
Taylor contributed eight of Spectre’s
twelve tunes, leaving the remainder to
Johnson, Fukushima and Knapp. Although fundamentally unique, they all
fit seamlessly into one aesthetic, allowing
the album to form a cohesive whole with
a strong narrative flow. The album maintains a constant forward momentum, from
the opening title track to Fukushima’s
spirited and relatively straight-ahead
closer, “First Among Equals.” Taylor’s
“Opaque,” on which saxophone, Rhodes
and arco bass drag and stretch lines over
Vannoy’s sparse cymbals, and the equally
brief “Lucid,” which showcases pensive
musings from Johnson and Taylor, serve to
cleanse the listener’s palette after the longer
preceding works. Taylor’s powerfully concise “Persiflage,” begins with his burning
alto over Vannoy’s furious cymbal work.
Fukushima’s “The Rise of the Muse” is
even somewhat Trane-ish, utilizing cymbal
rolls, arco bass and spacious, rolled piano
chords as an ethereal and floating base for
Taylor to meditate over.
Not much remains to be said regarding the chops, virtuosity, creativity, and
musicianship of these four men. Johnson
is his usual sterling self, Fukushima and
Taylor play off each other with lightning
quickness, and Vannoy is rock solid and
plays with exquisite taste, as ever. And you
simply can’t say enough about Taylor’s
soprano. His alto playing is equally fluid,
melodic and fleet, and his tone has a slight
edge and tartness to it – in fact the line
between his horns is often blurred. One
can only hope it won’t be six years until
Taylor records his next record!
by Chris Robinson
PRACTICE THIS!
Diversify Your Sources
CHAD MCCULLOGH
By Chad McCullough
One of the definitions of diversify in
the Merriam-Webster dictionary is: to
balance (as in an investment portfolio).
Let's run with that for a minute and discuss the topic of musical diversity, or the
balance of your musical portfolio. Music
that has the ability to move you doesn't
always have to fit into a specific section
at a record store. (Note: If you're not sure
what I‘m referring to, stop reading and
go shopping–sorry, you'll actually have
to leave your computer.) It's important to
actively seek out any music that you find
interesting and, hopefully, use it to grow
personally, as a musician.
Allow me to talk in “trumpet players”
for a moment, not because it clearly shows
that I've already strayed from the diversity
topic, but as a way to show that within
one narrow musical subcategory we may
find a great depth of musical diversity.
Setting aside the generic "Classical” and
“Jazz" subcategories, how much else is out
there? The great Egyptian legend Samy El
Bably, Norwegian trumpeter Arve Hen-
riksen, and Americans like Chris Gekker
and Seattle's Cuong Vu all play the same
instrument and sound totally different.
They are all a product of their musical
upbringing and have figured out ways to
make the limitations and idiosyncrasies
of the instrument work for them. There's
something deeply moving in the music
each of them creates, and besides that,
the only thing they have in common is
the instrument in their hands.
One more word to throw into the mix:
intent. Everything that has ever moved
me-musically or otherwise-has deep intent. Whether it's the imagery invoked by
a completely improvised passage of music,
Martha Graham’s agony-filled ballets,
the passion of a Ravel string quartet, any
one of the solos on Miles' The Complete
Concert 1964, or a Robert Frost poem,
the intent is so strong that it's infectious.
As you listen to, and hopefully perform,
music that you enjoy, work to convey the
SEE PRACTICE THIS! ON PAGE 23
CHAD MCCULLOUGH owns many
different trumpets. He's played in just
about every big band in Seattle, many of the
orchestras, a few salsa bands, rock bands, ska
bands, an African band, and has worn a vest
for a gig on several occasions. He's written
for strings, brass, and for dancers. He works
for Origin Records and helped found the
Origin Classical label. His new record Dark
Wood, Dark Water was released in June 2009.
Currently, he's producing a classical trumpet
record, writing a jazz suite, and trying to
grow tomatoes in his backyard. McCullough
Seattle
Drum School
www.seattledrumschool.com
is performing at Tula’s on August 10 at 7:30
Georgetown branch welcomes to its faculty:
Kelley Johnson (voice/beginning piano)
Barrett Martin (drums)
PR ACTICE THIS! is an educational
SLAB – all ages music venue: Grand Opening 6/27
The Seattle Drum School. Each month new
Monthly Jazz in the L.A.B.:
Geoff Harper’s Endeavor every last Saturday
Jim Knapp Orchestra every first Monday
lesson by a different local jazz artist will
Seattle: 12510 15th Ave NE - 206.364.8815
Georgetown: 1010 S. Bailey - 206.763.9700
the craft of improvising. An expanded video
PM with the Banff Nocturnes.
http://www.chadmccullough.com
www.seattledrumschoolgeorgetown.com
Voice, Guitar, Bass, Piano, Woodwinds, Trumpet, DJ, Drums (duh...)
project organized by David M. Marriott,
Jr. for Earshot Jazz with sponsorship from
appear for students to learn from and for
non-musician readers to gain insight into
version of the lesson can be linked to from
www.earshot.org.
08
JAZZ AROUND THE SOUND
august calendar
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
BP Jennifer Lee Quartet, 6
C* Jazz in the Corner, Wayward Coffee House (8570
Greenwood Ave N), 8
C* David Grisman Quintet Benefit Concert, Edmonds
Center for Performing Arts (410 4th Ave N,
Edmonds), 8
C* The Seattle Bayou Festival w/ David Grisman,
Chris Thomas King, The Wild Magnolias,
Magnuson Park (K, 11am
EB Bryan Smith Quartet, 11
EB Strange Jerome, 9
EB Jazz Connection w/ Jyl Leininger, 7
GB Trish Hatley Trio, 8:30
JA Monty Alexander Trio, 8 & 10
LJ Maya Jenkins’ Shadow Dance, 9:30
MMRotating Cabaret, 9
NO Jeff & Jet City All-Stars, 9
PM Brian Nova Quartet w/ Stephanie Porter, 6
SF Leo Raymundo w/ Sue Nixon, 9
SY Victor Janusz, 10am
TH Lance Buller w/ Phil Sparks, Chris Spencer, &
Mike Slivka, 9
TU Stephanie Porter Quartet, 8
1 DAVID GRISMAN QUINTET BENEFIT CONCERT
Benefiting Parkview Services, a non-profit organization
working to provide affordable housing options for people
with disabilities in Snohomish and King Counties, the
David Grisman Quintet will perform a rollicking evening of
idiosyncratic and spirited acoustic music. Encompassing
elements of bluegrass, jazz, Americana, classical,
latin, and klezmer music, Grisman’s music represents
the plurality of the American experience. A worthy
choice to benefit the good works of Parkview Services.
brownpapertickets.com or Jane Bloom at (425)299-6020
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
BA Here. Now., 7:30
C* Marc Smason/ Rosalynn DeRoos & Friends,
Revolution Books (89 S Washington St), 3
C* Pearl Django, Lawn at Edenwild Inn (132 Lopez
Rd, Lopez Island), 2
FG Vunt Foom, 9
JA Monty Alexander Trio, 7:30
MMTim Kennedy, 8
MMRuby Bishop, 11am
SF
SF
SY
TU
TU
Ann Reynolds & Guest, 6:30
Pasquale Santos, 11am
Victor Janusz, 10am
Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra, 8
Reggie Goings & Hadley Caliman Quintet, 3
MONDAY, AUGUST 3
C* Jammin’ in the Junction w/ Better World, Poggie
Tavern (4717 California SW), 9
C* Jim Knapp Orchestra w/ Courtney Cutchins,
Seattle Drum School (12510 15th Ave NE), 8
GT Ideal Bread (music of Steve Lacy) w/ Josh Sinton,
Tom Varner, Geoff Harper, Paul Kikuchi, 8
MMRuby Bishop, 8
NO New Orleans Quintet, 6:30
TO Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder, 9
TU Vocal Jam w/ Greta Matassa, 7:30
3 IDEAL BREAD WEST
A project of New York City baritone saxophonist Josh
Sinton, Ideal Bread was born in 2006 to “try and do for
Steve Lacy what Steve Lacy did for Thelonious Monk.”
Ideal Bread contextualizes Lacy’s music as canon, inspired
largely by his 1979 trio recording NY Capers and Quirks.
Born in Massachusetts, Sinton returned to Boston to study
at NEC with Lacy and pianist Ran Blake. Ideal Bread West
teams Sinton with regional greats Tom Varner, Geoff Harper,
and Paul Kikuchi. A top-rate ensemble paying tribute to
an underappreciated master, this is one not to be missed.
Ideal Bread will perform at Gallery 1412 on August 3 at
8 PM. Should you miss that night’s performance (or more
likely you’d like to see it again!), you can see Ideal Bread
later in the month at Egan’s on August 13 at 7 PM.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4
DC
DH
EB
EB
Eric Verlinde, 7
Tim Kennedy Trio, 9
Round Two w/ Tyler Kion, 9
Captain Swow w/ Brennan Carter, Elliot Gray,
Ehssan Karimi, 7
JA Winard Harper, 7:30
MMKarin Kajita, 8
MX Don Mock, Steve Kim & Charlie Nordstrom, 9
NO Holotradband, 7
TD Soul Kata, 7:30
TU Jay Thomas Big Band, 8
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
C* NW Choro Collective - Brazil 1920, Capitol Music
Center (1035 NE 65th), 7
DC Eric Verlinde, 7
EB Vocal Showcase w/ Lindsay Nichols, Lisa Petion,
Mercedes Nicole, Shiri Zorn, 9
EB Clave Gringa with Ann-ita Reynolds, 7
JA Winard Harper, 7:30
LJ Afro Cop w/ Michel Navedo, 7
MMBonnie Birch, 8
NO Legacy Band w/ Clarence Acox, 8
SF Passarim, 8
TK Ron Weinstein Trio, 8
TU Smith/ Staelens Big Band, 7
WI Ronnie Pierce, 10
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
AY Jazz Jam, 9:30
C* Free Lunchtime Concert w/ Toni Hill, City Hall
(600 Fourth Ave), 12
EB Crown Hill Invention w/ Tom Watson, Mike
Sievers, John Isenhart, 9
EB Damon Zick & Friends w/ Chris Stover, Dawn
Clement, Eric Eagle, Chris Symer, 7
JA Bill Evans Soulgrass w/ Dennis Chambers &
Robben Ford, 7:30 & 9:30
LF Gravity w/ Tim Kennedy, Ian Sheridan, & Claudio
Rochat Felix, 10
LJ Beau Sausser Trio, 6
MMJerry Zimmerman, 8
NO Bob Jackson Quintet, 7
OY Who Da Bossa, 6
TD Tinsley Ellis, 7:30
TK Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson & Tad Britton, 8
TU Beth Winter Quartet w/ Randy Halberstadt, 7:30
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
BP Greta Matassa CD release, 6
C* Karin Kajita Jazz Quintet, Anacortes Arts Festival
(505 O Ave, Anacortes), 11am
C* Brooks Giles Band, Southport Cafe (1083 Lake
Washington Blvd N, Renton), 7
CH Jacob Zimmerman Solo Saxophone, 8
DL Who Da Bossa, 9
EB Paul Rucker & Hans Teuber, 11
EB Shoemaker Brothers, 9
CALENDAR KEY
AY Asteroid Cafe, 3601 Fremont Ave N, 547-9000
BM Berkshire Grill, 2132 N Northgate Way, 417-0707
BP Bake’s Place, 4135 Providence Point Dr SE, Issaquah, 425-391-3335
C* Concert and Special Events
CM Crossroads Bellevue, 15600 NE Eighth St, Bellevue, 425-644-1111
CP C&P Coffee, 5612 California Ave SW, 933-3125
DC Dulces Latin Bistro, 1430 34th Ave, 322-5453
DH Dexter & Hayes Public House, 1628 Dexter Ave N, 283-7786
DL District Lounge, 4507 Brooklyn Ave NE, 547-4134
EB Egan’s Ballard Jam House, 1707 NW Market St, 789-1621
GR Grazie Italian Restaurant, 23207 Bothell-Everett Hwy, (425) 402-9600
GT Gallery 1412, 1412 18th Ave
HS Hiroshi’s Restaurant, 2501 Eastlake Ave E, 726-4966
JA Jazz Alley, 2033 6th Ave, 441-9729
MN Mona’s, 6421 Latona Ave NE, 526-1188
NI Nijo Sushi, 83 Spring St, 340-8880
NO New Orleans Restaurant, 114 First Ave S, 622-2563
OW Owl ’n’ Thistle, 808 Post Ave, 621-7777
PC Plymouth Congregational Church, 1217 6th Ave, 622-4865
PM Pampas Club, 90 Wall St, 728-1140
RZ Rendezvous, 2320 2nd, 441-5823
SB Seamonster Lounge, 2202 N 45th St, 633-1824
SD The Lab, Seattle Drum School, 12510 15th Ave NE, 364-8815
SF Serafina, 2043 Eastlake Ave E, 323-0807
SR Sorrento Hotel, 900 Madison, 622-6400
SY Salty’s on Alki, 1936 Harbor Ave SW, 526-1188
TB Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, 4918 Rainier Ave S, 721-3501
TC Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, 4411 Stone Way N, 633-3800
TD Triple Door, 216 Union St, 838-4333
TI Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, 366-3333
TU Tula’s, 2214 2nd Ave, 443-4221
UM Ugly Mug Coffeehouse, 11425 Rainier Ave S, 772-3151
WB Wasabi Bistro, 2311 2nd Ave, 441-6044
EB Momentum Jazz Quartet w/ Mikel Rollins, Gregg
Robinson, Sylvia Rollins, & Mark Jelsing, 7
HS Jazz & Sushi, 7:30
Robben Ford, 8 & 10
LC Marc Smason Trio, 8
LJ Darius & Company Vocal Jam, 9:30
MMJoseph Rojo, 9
NC Bassic Saxx, 8
NO Kim Fields & Mighty Titans of Tone, 9
PM Brian Nova Quartet, 6
SF Pasquale Santos, 9
TD Monarch Duo, Musicquarium, 5:30
TH Lance Buller w/ Phil Sparks, Chris Spencer, & Mike
Slivka, 9
TO Haiku-Chi, Shawna Locey, Theoretics, 12
TU David Friesen Trio w/ John Gross & David Goebel, 8
WS Victor Janusz, 5
7 PAUL RUCKER & HANS TEUBER
It’s a meeting of masters as interdisciplinary artist Paul
Rucker performs with reedman Hans Teuber. Rucker
remains busy as a cellist, bassist, composer, visual artist,
and creator of interactive sound/ video installations. Rucker
also composes new music designed to increase audience
and viewer interactivity. Teuber will lend his characteristic
thoughtfulness and great technical facility on any number of
instruments. Expect grace, magic, and plenty of adventure.
Rucker and Teuber will perform at Egan’s Ballard Jamhouse
on August 7 at 11 PM.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
BP Kelley Johnson Quartet, 6
C* Tangabrazo w/ Tango Dancers, Jaimes Friedgen, &
Christa Rodriquez, Teahouse Concerts Series (939
25t, 5
C* Katy Bourne Trio, Anacortes Arts Festival (505 O
Ave, Anacortes), 12
EB Ann Vriend, 9
EB Overton Berry Trio, 7
EB Ethan Thomas Quartet, 11
Robben Ford, 8 & 10
LC Elnah Jordan, 8
NO Kim Fields & Mighty Titans of Tone, 9
SF Kelly Ash Trio, 9
TD How Now Brown Cow, Musicquarium, 9
TH Lance Buller w/ Phil Sparks, Chris Spencer, & Mike
Slivka, 9
TU Greta Matassa Quartet, 8
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
BA Here. Now., 7:30
C* Greta Matassa Trio With Susan Pascal, Teahouse
Concerts Series (939 25th Ave S), 5
C* Lloyd Jones Struggle, KPLU Jazz Cruise on the
Royal Argosy (http://www.kplu.org/2009jazzcruises.
html, 10:30am
FG Vunt Foom, 9
Robben Ford, 7:30
MMTim Kennedy, 8
MMRuby Bishop, 11am
SF Jerry Frank, 6:30
SF Alex Guilbert Duo, 11am
GET YOUR GIGS
LISTED!
TD Sunday Night Salsa, Musicquarium, 9
TU Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra, 8
TU Jazz Police Big Band, 3
MONDAY, AUGUST 10
RICK WALDRON.COM
-The Heart of the Matter-
JA Bela Fleck and Toumani Diabaté, 7:30 & 9:30
MMRuby Bishop, 8
TD Idan Raichel Project, 7
TU Chad McCullough & Banff Nocturnes, 7:30
10 CHAD MCCULLOUGH & BANFF NOCTURNES
A veteran of the Seattle scene, trumpeter and composer
Chad McCullough has been an integral voice in countless
regional ensembles and projects. Having received his
Masters of Music from the University of Washington in
2005, McCullough has more recently been a member of
the Origin team, working alongside John Bishop and Matt
Jorgensen. McCullough’s terrific debut Origin release, Dark
Wood, Dark Water – which featured Bill Anschell, Jeff
Johnson, John Bishop, Mark Taylor, and Geof Bradfield - has
begun to introduce him to a larger audience, and it is high
time he become appreciated on a level in accordance with
his skills as an improviser and composer. McCullough will
be performing with the Banff Nocturnes at the Tula’s on
August 10 at 7:30 PM.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11
DC Eric Verlinde, 7
DH Tim Kennedy Trio, 9
EB Mark Zaleski Band w/ Isabella Du Graf, 9
EB Steve Smith & Chris Sanders, 7
JA Bela Fleck and Toumani Diabaté, 7:30 & 9:30
MMKarin Kajita, 8
NC North City Jazz Walk, 7
NO Holotradband, 7
TD Idan Raichel Project, 7 & 10
TU Emerald City Jazz Orchestra, 7:30
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12
DC Eric Verlinde, 7
EB Vocal Jam, 9
EB Jessica Stenson w/ Darin Clendenin, 7
JA Ahmad Jamal, 7:30
LJ Alisha Roney, 7
MMBonnie Birch, 8
TU Tatum Greenblatt Quintet, 7:30
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
AY Jazz Jam, 9:30
C* Free Lunchtime Concertsw/ Century Masters of
Lindy Hop & Tap, City Hall (600 Fourth Ave), 12
C* Dennis Moss, Victrola Coffee & Art (411 15th Ave E), 8
EB Dan Czaran w/ Karin Kajita, 9
EB Ideal Bread (music of Steve Lacy) w/ Josh Sinton,
Tom Varner, Geoff Harper, Paul Kikuchi, 7
JA Ahmad Jamal, 7:30 & 9:30
Rochat Felix, 10
LJ The Hang w/ Teaching, 9:30
NO Ham Carson Quintet, 7
OY Who Da Bossa, 6
SE Art of Jazz: Leif Totusek & One, Two, Three, 5:30
TU Sonando, 8
To submit your gig information go to www.earshot.org/data/gigsubmit.asp or e-mail us at
[email protected] with details of the venue, start-time, and date. As always, the deadline
for getting your listing in print is the 15th of the previous month. The online calendar is maintained
throughout the month, so if you are playing in the Seattle metro area, let us know!
“perhaps the most oddly enjoyable record
I’ve heard in long time.” –Earshot
“Waldron played voraciously, passionately
....original compositions....often moving and
striking..” -The Clipper
“Passionate music driven by creativity and
diversity..” -www.smoothjazz.de
Silver Platters, Amazon, CDBaby.com
CURTAIN CALL
weekly reoccuring performances
MONDAY
MM
NO
TO
Ruby Bishop, 8
New Orleans Quintet, 6:30
Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder, 9
TUESDAY
DC
DH MM MX NO
Eric Verlinde, 7
Tim Kennedy Trio, 9
Karin Kajita, 8
D. Mock, S. Kim, C. Nordstrom, 9
Holotradband, 7
WEDNESDAY
DC
Eric Verlinde, 7
MM Ronnie Birch, 8
NO
Legacy Band w/ Clarence Acox
TK
Ron Weinstein Trio, 8
WI
Ronnie Pierce, 10
THURSDAY
AY
LF
MM
NO
OY
TK
Jazz Jam, 9:30
Gravity w/ Tim Kennedy, 10
Jerry Zimmerman
Ham Carson Quintet, 7
Who Da Bossa, 6
J. Alberts, J. Johnson & T. Britton, 8
FRIDAY
DL
GB
HS MM
PM
TH
WS
Who Da Bossa, 8
Trish Hatley Trio, 9
Jazz & Sushi, 7:30
Joseph Rojo, 8
Brian Nova Quartet, 6
Lance Buller Quartet, 9
Victor Janusz, 5
SATURDAY
GB
PM
SY TH
Trish Hatley Trio, 9
Brian Nova Quartet w/ Stephanie
Porter, 6
Victor Janusz, 10am
Lance Buller Quartet, 9
SUNDAY
BA
FG
MM
MM
SY Here. Now., 7:30
Vunt Foom, 9
Ruby Bishop, 11am
Tim Kennedy, 8
Victor Janusz, 10am
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
BP The Senate, 6
C* Mctuff, South Lake Union Summer Concert
Series (2200 Westlake Ave, upper plaza),
11:45am
C* Gail Pettis Trio, Cypress Lounge, Bellevue Westin
(601 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue), 8
C* Sue Bell Quartet, Grazie (23207 Bothell-Everett
Hwy SE, Bothell), 7
C* Alfonse Somebody & Jr. Detectives, Laughing
Ladies Cafe (17551 15th NE, Shoreline), 8
DL Who Da Bossa, 9
EB Pat Donohue w/ Tamara Lewis, 7
EB Eva Tree & Side Project, 9
EB Stick Trio w/ Jacob Sticknet, Evan Flory-Barnes,
Jeremy Jones, 11
JA Ahmad Jamal, 8 & 10
LJ Mercedes Nicole Trio, 9:30
MMJoseph Rojo, 9
NC Arturo Rodriguez Duo, 8
NO Blues Orbitors, 9
SF Djangomatics, 9
TD Vunt Foom, Musicquarium, 9
Mike Slivka, 9
TU Hadley Caliman Quartet, 8
WS Victor Janusz, 5
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
BP Tingstad & Rumbel, 6
C* Gail Pettis Trio, Southport Cafe (1083 Lake
Washington Blvd N, Renton), 7
C* Sounds Outside w/ Melbatones, Figeater, Greg Sinibaldi,
Bert Wilson, Cal Anderson Park (1625 11th Av, 1
C* Sue Bell Quartet, Grazie (23207 Bothell-Everett
Hwy SE, Bothell), 7
EB Michael Owcharuk Trio w/ Cody Rahn, Michael Catts, 11
EB Sunship, 9
EB ThorNton Creek, 7
JA Ahmad Jamal, 8 & 10
LC Benjamin Doerr, 8
NC David George Trio, 8
NO Voices Of Seattle w/ Elnah Jordan, Katie King,
Reggie Goings, 9
SF Leo Raymundo w/ Sue Nixon, 9
Mike Slivka, 9
TU Susan Pascal Quartet, 8
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
BA Here. Now., 7:30
FG Vunt Foom, 9
JA Ahmad Jamal, 7:30
MMTim Kennedy, 8
MMRuby Bishop, 11am
SF Pasquale Santos, 6:30
SF Conlin Rosser Duo, 11am
TU Jay Thomas Big Band, 4
MONDAY, AUGUST 17
C* Jammin’ in the Junction w/ Better World, Poggie
Tavern (4717 California SW), 9
C* Owcharuk 5, High Dive (513 N 36th St), 9
JA Kent Meridian Jazz Ensemble Tribute to Hal
Sherman w/ Danny Gottleib, 6:30
MMRuby Bishop, 8
TU Jazz Jam w/ Darin Clendenin Trio, 7:30
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18
C* Gail Pettis Quartet, Bellevue Live at Lunch,
Skyline Tower (10900 NE 4th, Bellevue), 12
DC Eric Verlinde, 7
EB Rochelle House w/ D’Vonne Lewis & Evan FloryBarnes, 9
EB Jump Ensemble w/ Gregg Robinson, Mary
Hasegawa, Mark Filler, 7
JA Dr. John & Lower 911, 7:30
MMKarin Kajita, 8
NO Holotradband, 7
TU Roadside Attraction, 8
DC Eric Verlinde, 7
EB Vocal Jam, 9
EB Eli Meisner Group w/ Xavier McHugh, Nathan Parker, 7
MMBonnie Birch, 8
TD Lary Carlton, 7 & 9:30
TU Katie King Vocal Showcase, 7:30
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
AY Jazz Jam, 9:30
C* Gail Pettis Quartet, Interbay Golf BBQ (2501 15th Ave
W), 5:30
C* Free Lunchtime Concert w/ The Bobs, City Hall
(600 Fourth Ave), 12
EB Brian Heaney Group w/ Greg Campbell, Bill Jones,
John Seman, 9
EB John Cheadle Group, 7
JA Dr. John & Lower 911, 7:30 & 9:30
Rochat Felix, 10
OY Who Da Bossa, 6
TU Isabella DuGraf Quartet, 7:30
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
C* Cathy Segal-Garcia w/ John Stowell, jazzvox.com
(Camano Island), 7:30
DL Who Da Bossa, 9
EB Nikki & Kiko, 11
EB Zazou, 9
EB Karin Blaine, 7
JA Dr. John & Lower 911, 8 & 10
LC Kimberly Reason, 8
LJ Birth of the Cool Nonet w/ Jason Parker, Michael
Owcharuk, 9:30
MMJoseph Rojo, 9
NO Dau Band CD release, 9
SF Fred Hoadley, 9
TD Hardcoretet, Musicquarium, 9
TD Leif Totusek, Musicquarium, 5:30
TD Curtis Salgado, 8
Mike Slivka, 9
TU Kelley Johnson Quartet, 8
WS Victor Janusz, 5
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
BP David Lanz, 6
C* Cathy Segal-Garcia w/ John Stowell, jazzvox.com
(Auburn), 7:30
EB Jim Knodle & Distract Band, 11
EB Jess Klein, 9
EB Manghis Khan w/ Yaw Amponsah, Tony Grasso,
Viren Kamdar, Tim Carey, 7
JA Dr. John & Lower 911, 8 & 10
LC Hillary Harris, 8
LF Talcum, 9
NO Charles White, 9
SR Sue Bell, 8
Mike Slivka, 9
TU Greta Matassa Quartet, 8
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
BA Here. Now., 7:30
C* Arts in Nature Festival w/ NW Choro Collective,
Yellow Hat Band, Camp Long (5200 35th Ave SW),
11am
C* Jovino Santos Neto Quintet, Teahouse Concerts
Series (939 25th Ave S), 5
C* Billet Deux, Meerkerk Gardens (Whidbey Island), 1
FG Vunt Foom, 9
MMTim Kennedy, 8
MMRuby Bishop, 11am
SF Jerry Frank, 6:30
SF Alex Guilbert Duo, 11am
TD Sunday Night Salsa, Musicquarium, 9
TU Easy Street, 3
MONDAY, AUGUST 24
MMRuby Bishop, 8
TD The Teaching, 7:30
TU Tim Huling’s Jazz Composers Showcase, 7:30
24 THE TEACHING
Jeremy Jones, Evan Flory-Barnes, and Josh Rawlings
compose the trio the Teaching, performing here on the
Triple Door Mainstage. The Teaching of course leads the
unique community jam session “The Hang,” long held at
the Lo-Fi, now at Lucid. The Fender Rhodes trio tackles
jazz, hip-hop, R&B, rock, and whatever else may call to
them, with the utmost commitment. The unbridled joy
generosity of their music may just break down the cynic
in us all. The Teaching will perform at the Triple Door on
August 24 at 7:30 PM.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25
DC Eric Verlinde, 7
EB Slant Quartet w. Devon Yesberger, Max Raydon,
Xavier del Castillo, Nolan Woodle, 9
EB Trevor Larkin, 7
JA Terence Blanchard, 7:30
MMKarin Kajita, 8
NO Holotradband, 7
TU The Little Big Band, 7:30
DC Eric Verlinde, 7
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
AY Jazz Jam, 9:30
C* Free Lunchtime Concert w/ Pedrito Vargas Y Su
Grupo Ashé, City Hall (600 Fourth Ave), 12
EB Oghale w/ Darin Clendenin, 9
EB KLK Band w/ Kevin Kilmartin, Travis Hartnett, Bob
Congleton, Grant Steele, Brian McCulley, Jacob Sti, 7
JA Stanley Jordan Trio, 7:30 & 9:30
Rochat Felix, 10
OY Who Da Bossa, 6
TU Judy Wexler Quartet, 7:30
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
C* Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto, South Lake Union
Summer Concert Series (2200 Westlake Ave,
upper plaza), 11:45am
C* Sue Bell Quintet, River Rock Grill & Ale House
(4050 Maple Valley Highway, Renton), 6
DL Who Da Bossa, 9
EB Peter Schmeeckle Quintet w/ Andy Short, R.
Scott Morning, Aaron Jenkins, Rich Pelligrin, 11
EB Katy Bourne w/ Doug Miller, Steve Korn, 9
EB Confluence w/ Casey Garland, Elaine Skeffington, 7
EB Katy Bourne Quartet, 9
JA Stanley Jordan Trio, 8 & 10
LC Cheryl McLin, 8
LF Haiku-Chi, 9
LJ Jus’ B w/ Owuor Arunga & Mark Sampson, 9:30
MMJoseph Rojo, 9
NO Nick Vigarino, 9
SF Kiko de Freitas, 9
TD Les Nubians, 7:30 & 10
TD Monarch Duo, Musicquarium, 5:30
TH Lance Buller w/ Phil Sparks, Chris Spencer, & Mike Slivka, 9
TU Dave Peck Trio, 8
WS Victor Janusz, 5
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
C* Michael Owcharuk Trio, Vampirates, Nate Omdal
Quintet, Comet (922 E Pike St), 5
C* Katy Bourne Trio, Manresa Castle (651 Cleveland
St, Port Townsend), 7
EB Zach Para Group, 11
EB Susan Harper Conspiracy, 9
EB Marti MacEwan w/ Darin Clendenin, 7
JA Stanley Jordan Trio, 8 & 10
LC A La Carte w/ Julie Olson, Pat Johnston, Dee Brown, 8
LJ Victor Noriega, 9:30
NC Stephanie Porter & Friends w/ Special Guest
Brian Nova, 8
NO Lonnie Williams, 9
SF Jose Gonzales Trio, 9
Mike Slivka, 9
TU Dave Peck Trio, 8
C* HipBone, Marine View Church (8469 Eastside Dr
NE, Tacoma), 5
FG Vunt Foom, 9
JA Stanley Jordan Trio, 7:30
MMTim Kennedy, 8
MMRuby Bishop, 11am
SF Ann Reynolds & Tobi Stone, 6:30
SF Park Olson Duo, 11am
TU Fairly Honest Jazz Band, 3
29 VICTOR NORIEGA
Sharing his time between Seattle and Vancouver, Victor
Noriega possesses an utterly distinct style – crisp and
articulate, Noriega fuses classical and Filipino folk
elements with an adventurous jazz aesthetic. Hard to
say in what context Noriega will here be performing –
his activities are diverse enough to include performing
alongside Joan Rivers on tour – but as one of the finest
young pianists working in or around Seattle, the crackling
pianist certainly deserves our attention. Victor Noriega
will perform at the Lucid Jazz Lounge on August 29 at
9:30 PM.
MONDAY, AUGUST 31
MMRuby Bishop, 8
TD Lost Fingers, 7:30
TU Pony Boy presents Mordy Ferber, 7:30
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
BA Here. Now., 7:30
C* Le Trio w/ Dodge, Omdal, Owcharuk, Le Pichet
(1933 1st Ave), 2:30
Tula’s Jazz Calendar
August 2009
2214 Second
Ave, Seattle,
WA 98121
Tula’s
Restaurant
and Nightclub
www.tulas.com;
for reservations
call (206)
443-4221
2214
Second Avenue,
Seattle, WA
98121
Reservations:
206-443-4221
august
TULAS.COM
S U N DAY
M O N DAY
T U E S DAY
2009
W E D N E S DAY
T H U R S DAY
F R I DAY
S AT U R DAY
1
Stephanie
Porter
Quartet
8pm $15
2
3
4
5
Reggie Goings VOCAL JAM BIG BAND JAZZ BIG BAND JAZZ
Hadley Caliman hosted by
Jay
Smith/
Quintet
Greta
6
7
Beth
Winter
Quartet
David
Friesen
Trio
13
14
8
Greta
Matassa
Quartet
w/ Randy w/ John Gross
8pm $15
Thomas Staelens
3-7pm $8
Jim Cutler Matassa
Big
Band Big Band Halberstadt & David Goebel
8pm $5
7pm $10
8pm $15
Jazz Orch. 7:30pm $8
7:30pm $10
8pm $5
9
10
Jazz Police
Chad
Big Band McCullough
3-7 $5
Banff
Jim Cutler Nocturnes
8pm $5
16
17
11
12
BIG BAND JAZZ
LATIN JAZZ
Tatum
Hadley
Emerald Greenblatt Sonando Caliman
City Jazz Quintet
8pm $10
Quartet
8pm $15
Orchestra 7:30pm $15
15
Susan
Pascal
Quartet
8pm $15
7:30pm $5
18
19
20
Jay Thomas JAZZ JAM BIG BAND JAZZ Katie
Isabella
Big Band with Darin Roadside
King
DuGraf
4pm $5
Clendenin Attraction Vocal
Quartet
Jim Cutler
Trio
Showcase 7:30pm $12
8pm $8
7:30pm $10
21
22
Kelley
Greta
Johnson Matassa
Quartet Quartet
8pm $15
8pm $15
8pm $5
23
24
25
26
27
Easy Street Tim Huling’s BIG BAND JAZZ Greta
Judy
3pm $5
Jazz
The Little Matassa Wexler
Jim Cutler Composers Big Band
Jazz
Quartet
Jazz Orch. Showcase 7:30pm $5 Workshop 7:30pm $12
8pm $5
7:30pm no cover
30
31
Fairly Pony Boy Records
PRESENTS
Honest
Jazz Band NYC Guitarist
3pm $5
Mordy
Jim Cutler Ferber
8pm $5
7:30pm $10
EARLY-ARRIVAL
DISCOUNTS
EB Vocal Jam, 9
EB #it quartet w/ Max Williams, Corey Dansereau,
Nolan Woodle, Max Holmberg, 7
JA Terence Blanchard, 7:30
LJ Vampirates, 8
MMBonnie Birch, 8
TD 125 w/ Jeff Mcilwain AKA Lusine (ghostly),
Musicquarium, 9
TD Monsters of Accordion 2009, 7:30
TU Greta Matassa Jazz Workshop, 7:30
28
29
Dave
Peck
Trio
Dave
Peck
Trio
8pm $15
No Discounts
8pm $15
No Discounts
MONDAY thru THURSDAY: Make dinner
reservations and arrive by 7:00 pm to
receive a 10% discount on all food items.
FRIDAY and SATURDAY: Make dinner
reservations and arrive by 7:00 pm to
receive a $5 discount on your cover charge.
NOTES, FROM PAGE 2
Faculty Group and Byron Vannoy’s Meridian, take place at 11:45am on Fridays
August 14 and 28th at the Upper Plaza
of the 2200 Corner of Westlake Ave.
Performances in August will include the
soul-jazz of organist Joe Doria’s McTuff
and Brazilian jazz by Jovino Santos Neto
Quinteto.
Call For Newsletter Volunteers to
Distribute Magazine and Assist with
Calendar
We are looking for volunteers who can
deliver this publication to venues, shops,
and cafes in the Fremont and Greenlake
neighborhoods, the Seattle Center campus, and Portland, Oregon. In addition,
we need volunteers to help construct
and expand the calendar of Puget Sound
Jazz events that appear in the magazine
each month. Volunteers will assist with
building the calendar, using press releases
that come to the office and listings from
venues and artist wbsites. If you’d like to
volunteer, please contact Karen at karen@
earshot.org or (206) 547-6763.
Submit CDs for Review
Each month this publication includes
reviews of albums produced by local musicians. But, our supply of discs is running
low. If you have a recent jazz CD that
would like considered for review, please
send it to Earshot Jazz, c/o Earshot Jazz
Editor, 3429 Fremont Place N, #309,
Seattle, WA 98103-8650.
Event Listings and News Items
Please send gig listings to jazzcalendar@
earshot.org. Be sure to format your gig
listings to keep with the appearance of
this magazine’s calendar. Also, if you have
news of your jazz projects, or of anything
at all related to your career, please feel free
to e-mail them to [email protected], as
we are always looking for items to use in
“In One Ear,” as well as for future articles.
BIG BANDS, FROM PAGE 8
Salon du Swing & Radio Rhythm
Orchestra – Led by Pete Leinonen
Bandleader/bassist Pete Leinonen has
been performing big band music ever since
he was hired in high school to play bass in
the Stardusters. In the early 70’s, he toured
with Ray Anthony and, in 1982, Leinonen
joined John Holte’s Radio Rhythm Orchestra. “John has been widely recognized
for starting the swing revival on the West
Coast,” noted Leinonen. After Holte died
in 2003, Leinonen made the decision to
continue the band with Holte’s “extensive
body of original compositions and arrangements, and a huge collection of Swing era
standards, many of which were revised by
John.” The band also features vocalist Shaw
Fitzgerald. “Radio Rhythm Orchestra is
probably the most purely authentic swing
band in America,” boasted Leinonen.
Radio Rhythm Orchestra has a two-CD
set titled, “Radio Rhythm; the music of
John Holte,” and performs mostly for swing
dancers. The band plays regularly for the
Northwest Dance Network events at the
Leif Erickson Ballroom in Ballard, and a
number of other dance clubs in the Northwest. On Dec. 19, the band will perform
at the Northwest Dance Network’s annual
holiday ball, at the Leif Erickson.
“Salon du Swing has an entirely different
library, which includes a lot of arrangements
by Northwest bandleaders, like Ken Cloud (I
was his bass player for the last 20 years or so
of his life), and others, plus most of the swing
era hits, and some rarely heard charts that I
have collected,” commented Leinonen. The
band also features vocalist Kelley Johnson.
Salon du Swing plays mostly private society and corporate events. They are the house
band for many member events at The Ruins,
a private supper club. The band has also been
chosen to play for a number of celebrity
weddings, including Conan O’Brien’s.
www.originalcast.com
Jeff Clayton
Jeff Hamilton Trio
Chuck Redd and the
Statesmen of Jazz
Ira Nepus’ Tribute
to Benny Carter
Holly Hofmann
Nicki Parrott
Mickey Roker
Tom Scott
Terell Stafford
Graham Dechter
Darrell Grant
Tamir Hendelman
Christoph Luty
Tom Wakeling
Mike Wofford
Rebecca Kilgore
Randy Porter
Ed Dunsavage
Phil Dwyer
Gary Hobbs
Dave Captein
Mike Horsfall
Alan Jones
888.701.7123 • OCT. 2-4, 2009
NEWPORT, OREGON
WWW.JAZZATNEWPORT.ORG
PERFORMER LIST SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
PRESENTED BY
OREGON COAST COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
CITY OF NEWPORT • MAT DOMBER FOUNDATION
NEWPORT NEWS-TIMES • FIRESTEED WINERY
ROGUE ALES • NEWPORT INTERNET COLLABORATIVE
PRACTICE THIS!, FROM PAGE16
same intent that drew you to the music.
Find those elements, and then ask yourself
what exactly this music says to you. Why
is Stan Getz's time so amazing, or is it?
What gives a Steve Reich piece so much
power, or is there nothing there that moves
you? Question what makes things good,
and try to explain why you might not like
something. Now, how can you apply those
answers to your own music?
Within the scope of "jazz" there are so
many exciting elements. It's one of the
reason many of us devote our whole life to
music. It has the ability to get us excited,
make us cry, and, at its best, make the
WACO, FROM PAGE 6
whole world seem to stop for a moment. Most of the time these aren't
tangible elements. We can't write them
down and practice them. But, we can
listen to them and search for personal
answers about the depth, and how
it affects us. This often just extends
the search that much further. There
is music from across the globe and
throughout history that can move you.
Throw away the earbuds, buy some
good headphones, take off whatever
blinders you may have on, and really
listen.
Mind you, he adds, “with everything
else that I don’t seem to be accomplishing
it really would depend on other people.
… If enough people in the band were
interested in taking on various tasks, then
I’d be really interested in it.”
That might make for exciting prospects,
he says. “We’d like to be the alternative
big band in town that brings in people
from Europe or Brooklyn who aren’t
logical guests for the SRJO, who do a
fantastic job in their own right.”
Horvitz has a long history of making
projects happen, no matter what the
odds. His ensembles have included The
President, The HMP Trio, The New York
Composers Orchestra – all out east – and
Pigpen, Zony Mash, The 4 Plus 1 Ensemble, Sweeter Than the Day, and The
Gravitas Quartet, here in Seattle. So…
A more solid organizational footing, he
says, would permit the orchestra to start
collaborating with other innovative big
bands in Chicago, the New York area,
and Europe. “One thought we’ve had,”
he says, “is that because touring with
bands is next to impossible, we might be
able to create a consortium of ensembles,
and the major composers could go from
one to the other. The musicians would
get the opportunity to play other bands’
repertoires.”
The Washington Composers
Orchestra
Reeds: Steve Treseler, Mark Taylor, Greg
Sinabaldi, Eric Barber, Jim Dejoie
Trumpet: Brad Allison, Thomas
Marriott, Samantha Boshnack
Trombone: Nelson Bell, Chris Stover
French horn: Tom Varner
Drums: Byron Vannoy
Bass: Phil Sparks
Piano, conductor: Robin Holcomb,
Wayne Horvitz
WACO
Al Keith, Mark Taylor, Stuart McDonald, Thomas Marriott, Phil Sparks,Steve Treseler, Jim Dejoie
p / 206.547.6763
e / www.earshot.org
August 2009 Vol. 25, No. 8
Seattle, Washington
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT No. 14010
SEATTLE, WA
EARSHOT JAZZ
EARSHOT JAZZ
COVER: WACO
Al Keith, Mark Taylor, Stuart MacDonald, Thomas Marriott, Phil Sparks,Steve Treseler, Jim Dejoie
EARSHOT JAZZ
IN THIS ISSUE...
Notes _ ___________________________________________________ 2
In One Ear ________________________________________________ 3
Profile: WACO______________________________________________ 4
Profile: Big Band Overview ___________________________________ 7
Preview: The Hang _________________________________________ 9
Preview: Jacob Zimmerman __________________________________ 11
Preview: Sounds Outside ____________________________________ 13
The Northwest Jazz Festivals Guide ___________________________ 14
M
E
M
B
E
R
S
H
I
P
A $35 basic membership in Earshot brings
the newsletter to your door and entitles you to
discounts at all Earshot events. Your membership also helps support all our educational
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Type of membership
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Regular subscribers – to receive newsletter 1st class, please add $5 for
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For The Record: Mark Taylor _________________________________ 16
Practice This!: Chad McCullough_____________________________ 17
___________________________________________
Calendar _________________________________________________ 18
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videos, books. Over 1500 labels, domestic & imports. Worldwide
shipping. Good service/prices. www.cadencebuilding.com; (315)
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Here - The Teaching

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